Landscapes
by BagelsandBroadway
Summary: "The only person Shawn Hunter is capable of really liking is Shawn Hunter. And that little curly haired guy." When Shawn is the one Maya turns to her after her mom bolts in the middle of her eighth grade year, he decides to finally settle down and start his life.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: A short little chapter for the beginning of my new story. Mainly focuses on the relationship and similarities between Shawn Hunter and Maya Hart while exploring a genre that has been tested by a few others on this website. I've always loved the relationship between Shawn and Turner although it practically disappeared after the third season and I've always wondered what it would be like to have Shawn and Maya's relationship parallel that of Jon and Shawn. So, without further ado, I give you Landscapes.**

XxXxXxX

It was 3:27 in the morning. Exactly six minutes until her birthday and she had no idea where her mother was.

As the night progressed, Maya grew more and more worried, resulting in her insomnia. Her mom was a waitress at the Nighthawk diner, an all-night, truck-stop themed diner placed strategically by an almost abandoned neighborhood in a not-so-great part of town. She had to take two separate buses plus the subway just to get within walking distance of the place. So she didn't go there a lot. Her mother came home every few hours to eat and sleep, but most of the time Maya would be at Riley's place.

Riley Matthews was her best friend. She had been since the first day of first grade when the class had gone out for snack and Maya was the only one without a snack. Riley had come up to her, her soft brown hair in two perfectly pleated braids and pink and blue dress on. She had offered the blonde one of her chocolate chip cookies but Maya had greedily taken both. After she had devoured Riley's snack. The small girl sat down next to her on the asphalt and they talked for the rest of recess. Maya figured that both girls knew right then that they would be best friends forever. Now, she was minutes away from turning 14 and that promise was still intact.

Last year. Maya's birthday was a bit of a disaster. Her mother was working, (once again) and even though the Matthews family had tried to help cheer up Maya with a cake and some presents, as much as she appreciated it she just wanted her mom. Riley, however, took things to the extreme. Her uncle Shawn was visiting that weekend and for some reason, Riley automatically figured that just because Shawn was single and her mother single, they should hook up.

Maya had met the infamous Shawn Hunter a few weeks before her thirteenth birthday when he came over for Christmas dinner. She was unimpressed to sum it up, she hated the ay he treated Riley and totally ignored her so she and Riley had pushed Shawn to tell them the real reason why he didn't like her. But, of course, Riley had to pull her even further into the whole mess by making her tell Shawn about her family problems and vice versa. It accomplished exactly nothing and Maya didn't even understand what she was trying to do until her birthday a few weeks later. Being the lifelong best friend of Cory Matthews, Riley's father and teacher, Maya saw Shawn quite a bit and was compared to him more times than she would care to admit. He visited about once every two months, sooner when he could. He had a job writing and taking pictures for a popular travel website she had admired long before meeting the elusive Shawn Hunter. She would try and copy the scenes onto paper in her own way, but the barren deserts and grassy moors never turned out the same.

A sudden and sharp rapping on her bedroom window surprised her and she nearly fell out of bed. Without hesitating, Maya jumped up and grabbed the steel baseball bat that her mother had given her in case of break-ins. As she tentatively reached to open the window, expecting find a masked serial killer waiting to rip her throat out, she almost screamed when she saw the smooth top of Farkle Minkus' bowl cut.

"Farkle." She growled, fear quickly malting to anger as she pushed the window open. "What are you doing here?"

"Maya." He greeted flirtatiously as he shifted on the fire escape right below her window. The sounds of East Harlem at three in the morning greeted her and she was pleased to find everything as it had been earlier that night. Maya could never sleep without the comforting sounds of the city and bright lights of the open-24-hours-a-day liquor store adjacent to her apartment building. "I was in the neighborhood and I wanted to drop by and say Happy Birthday." She stifled a scoff knowing very well that the wealthy Minkus's lived in a big apartment closer to suburbs than any all-night liquor store.

Farkle had turned 14 in December and had grown exactly an inch and a half since his thirteenth birthday. His haircut, however, hadn't changed since the second grade and didn't look like it was going to anytime soon. Riley had also turned 14 before her, and in doing so discovered makeup. Even though her parents forbid it until she was 16, Maya often snuck some mascara and eyeliner from her rarely used makeup collection for her best friend, who, no matter how many times Maya told her that she didn't need makeup to look good, simply ignored her.

She had started to straighten her hair more often than usual too and Maya wondered if Riley thought it made her look older, the reason she had started to do a lot of things. She remembered last year how Riley wanted to be _exactly _like her, luckily growing out of that pretty quick when the classroom almost caught on fire from a certain someone's great 'homework rebellion' idea.

"That's sweet." Maya started with a smile, Farkle perked up and she quickly turned off the fake niceness. "Now get out." Her tone changed quickly and Farkle tried harder to edge his way inside.

"Don't be like that, Maya. What's wrong? Talk to me, open your soul to the one who cares deeply for you." He tried to sound poetic but failed and Maya suppressed a laugh. "You know you wanna."

That was another weird thing about turning 14. Everyone's voice seemed to change. Riley, although still keeping her always excitable demeanor, had a much breathier and lighter voice. Farkle's hadn't totally deepened, but there was a noticeable change from last year when he still sounded like a ten-year-old.

"You wish. Now get out of here before my mom hears you." She threatened and Farkle seemed to back off after her lie.

"Happy Birthday, anyway." He finished he made his way back down the fire escape, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets to block out the cold, January wind.

"Thanks!" Maya called back, already feeling her spirits lifted. Farkle was a good friend, he just needed to learn how to tone the 'flirting' down once in a while.

Maya glance over to her dimly lit alarm clock on her bedside table that she had painted herself. 3:35 AM. She was officially 14 years old and yet felt no different than she did seconds ago talking to Farkle. She sighed and yawned as she climbed into back under her purple duvet, relaxing as the sounds of New York washed over her mind.

'_She's probably still working or just locking up or something.' _Maya assured herself as she closed her eyes and flipped over on her side into a more comfortable position. _'She'll be here. She'll be here in twenty minutes and she'll wake me up and we'll spend the day together.'_

She couldn't even believe herself.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you so, so much for all the kind reviews! I'm so glad you all like the story so far and I've ultimately decided that I'll be updating every Thursday and Sunday unless a conflict arises. This chapter is a bit long and mainly focuses on Shawn and Katy Hart. Thanks for reading!**

**Warning: Mentions of teen pregnancy and a few spoilers for Girl Meets Master Plan, (nothing too big though.)**

**Disclaimer: Boy Meets World and Girl Meets World are the property of Michael Jacobs and April Kelly. I own nothing.**

**XxXxXxX**

Shawn Hunter wasn't exactly responsible.

He had lived between the lines for most of his childhood, with a dad that was barely around and a mom who 'forgot' where she lived more than once, Shawn didn't grow up quite as well as his best friend, Cory Matthews, did. He got through it though with a lot of help from other people, and that's why he was like he was.

He was far from okay and always would be. There was no way to go back and change the way he lived and make things better off for himself now. Even though he wouldn't admit it, he did have some problems. It wasn't exactly normal to ditch your best friend the day his first child was born and not see him again for nearly 13 years. Evidently, he was not a very good uncle.

When he was about 19, Shawn's father died of a heart attack. He cracked, he couldn't take it anymore and broke down. It didn't take long for him to get out of there either, taking the trailer he grew up in and leaving town during his freshman year of college. He came back though, that was the difference between then and now. He came back because he that things weren't that bad yet. Cory and Topanga were only engaged and he could still hang around without being the awkward third wheel. Even though all their friends knew the couple was rushing into marriage, Shawn didn't do anything to stop it. He didn't say a word of his disbelief in the relationship to Cory who had always been so sure that he would marry his practically lifelong girlfriend and live happily ever after.

But, the couple got through it. Every fight, every bump in the road that had the rest of their friends holding their breath, just waiting for the two to split. Shawn had that tiny bit of hope left for them and somehow knew that if he had their relationship around him, he'd figure out his own life pretty soon. They were inspirational to him in a way and he always believed that they would go the distance. That's why he felt that familiar pang of happiness as he arrived at Cory's apartment building at 5 in the morning. Traveling around the country in a trailer for most of the months and living off of fast food and truck stop snacks wasn't exactly the way he imagined himself living when he was 19.. But, he was making a living for himself and he was doing something he always though he would be.

He hadn't bothered to let the Matthews know he was dropping by, due to his assignment for the weekend being in Jersey he figured now was a better time than any other to pop in for a visit. It had nothing to do with the fact that Riley's best friend, Maya's, birthday was today. The year prior, he had been introduced to his niece's best friend for the first time and just like everyone else, he saw himself in the kid. He knew better though, he knew a lot better than to get invested in the kid's life then just up and leave the next day. She didn't need that. So, he distanced himself for, her every time he visited even though she was basically always at the Matthew's. She was an okay girl, Maya just didn't need someone like Shawn in her life.

"Cory! You awake? I'm coming up!" Shawn called happily into the speak box, rubbing his gloved hands together. Everything was cold and it was extremely dark outside for five in the morning. He loved winter despite all the extra work he got stuck with. He knew at least Topanga would be awake, preparing for work. She was a successful lawyer, she turned out like everyone knew she would. Topanga was like that, she knew what she was doing.

Cory and Topanga had always been his safe haven. Not just the friendship that Shawn and Cory shared, but the relationship and everlasting love between Cory and Topanga. The two had been in love since day one and Shawn knew their relationship was the only stable thing in his life while growing up. So, whenever the two broke up, Shawn wouldn't have anyone to turn to/ It was the worst in the trio's senior year of high school when Cory was courted by a girl from a ski lodge and 'accidentally' kissed her. Even though he had a girlfriend at the time who he was sure he loved at least a little bit, he was still torn up when Cory messed up and he and Topanga split for almost fifty days. He and a depressed Cory had tried drinking a few weeks after the breakup which failed miserably and that was when he realized his friend's relationship and codependence on each other was the only thing that kept him sane.

He didn't exactly mind leaving that cold, December day 14 years ago. He knew that the couple could make it through anything, even the daunting task of caring for a newborn baby while still in school. Eric stated for a few months to support them, but pretty soon he found his own calling and left to go start his own life back in Philadelphia. Although he would deny it, Shawn was the one still acting like a teenager. He had no job, no place to live, and still hadn't graduated from college. He picked up writing again when he went to live with his half-brother, Jack, and his fiancée, one of his roommates from college. Jack and Rachel got married a few years after being engaged and getting out of the Peace Corps. Shawn, expecting to see Cory and Topanga at the wedding, was disappointed when they didn't show and left Jack pretty soon after the wedding. His older brother didn't need him around, he was married and something about that was just wrong.

He took the trailer that he had lived in for half his life from the storage vault where he and Jack put it after their father died and started applying for every job that came up. He had always been interested in writing and photography and refused to do pretty much anything else, landing him with his current job as a travel writer. It didn't pay much, but it covered what he needed, and Shawn Hunter didn't need that much.

The only thing he needed was missing from his life and it was unknown when he would find her again.

XxXxXxX

"Hart! Table 7 check than we're closing, your turn to lock up!"

The gruff call from the Nighthawk diner's owner, Steve, startled Katy as she carried some dirty plates into the small kitchen area of the diner and placed them in the sink where the seedy, teenage bus-boy was cleaning up. She sauntered over to table 7, picking up the check and her measly 2-dollar tip. At 17 years old, Katy Hart had no idea her life would end up like this. At 18, she got too drunk at a party one night and she woke up the next morning next to Sam Hart, linebacker of their high school's football team and somehow, she knew what had happened before any tests had to be taken.

She knew how stupid it was of her to not use protection, how stupid it was to drink too much, how stupid it was of her to go upstairs with Sam. She wanted to scream, cry, kick something, but something held her back. That something was Sam.

He didn't run like any other high school boy would've. He stated by her side even after they graduated and she had the baby in the middle of Sam's freshman year of college. The couple had moved to New York after graduation. NYU was one of the colleges Sam got accepted into not just because of his athleticism and he decided that that was the college he wanted to go to. He was the one who came up with the name Maya.

It was her Maya's birthday and Katy was working. Nighthawk only stayed open until about 2 AM but they kept her there longer most nights. She needed it, she needed the extra money she got for locking up the place. She had herself and a daughter to support and that's the way it had been since that day 14 years ago in the hospital with Sam holding her hand and cooing to the bundle of pink blankets in her arms. He always said he would never leave her, he oved her too much.

That lasted long.

She usually finished up at the diner at around 2:45 but it was a long way home and Katy hoped Maya was asleep and that her little girl wasn't up, calling for her mom like she had when Katy first got the job a month after Sam left almost 6 years ago.

"Mama, it's only until I get on my feet. She needs someone there when I'm working. It's dangerous." Katy had explained to her mother the year Maya turned eight. She was working way too much to be there all the time for her daughter and having her at the diner was getting too hard. Eight year olds were hard to take care of on their own, let alone watch and keep interested while you're working a ten hour shift. Her mother agreed to stay at their apartment for a few months to watch her granddaughter, something Katy didn't really like but she knew it had to be done. Her mother had never been very supportive of her and Sam keeping Maya and the day Sam left only strengthened her opinion. It hurt Katy knowing that the woman that Maya had dubbed Grammy when she was younger spent more time around her little girl than she did but, she kept working.

As Katy boarded the subway early that January morning, she glanced down at her watch and noticed just how late it was. 3:38. Maya had turned 14 five minutes ago and she wasn't there for her. Just like she wasn't there for her when she turned 13, 12, 11, or any year before that. Her little girl's voice rang through her mind and she felt a sharp pang in her chest.

"It's better for both of us when you go off on your imaginary auditions and chase my imaginary father."

Guilt. She knew it, she knew she was never there for her daughter. Not since the dreaded fifth grade play when she snuck in forty minutes late and made an embarrassment of both herself and her daughter. She noticed the Matthews were there though, supporting their daughter. Riley Matthews was Maya's best friend and Katy could not ask God for a better person. Riley was sweet, caring, and just the person Maya needed in her life. Her parents were even better people and they had Maya over at their place more times than Katy could remember. She was basically over there every day and she was even there last year for bother her birthday and Christmas. As was a man named Shawn Hunter,

She had been introduced to Shawn last year when he came to the diner sprouting something about being there for her daughter and not working all the time. It really made her blood boil and she exposed the real reason she hadn't taken the off. She was saving up to buy a locked, a really nice one that she knew would be perfect for Maya. White gold monogrammed with an M on the front. Shawn Hunter was a good man though, he cared about people just like Riley did and although older than Katy, she did admit he wasn't bad looking.

The air was brisk as she exited the subway, having trouble run up the slippery steps onto the sidewalk in her annoying waitress heels. She wrapped her tan trench coat even tighter around herself and brushed a lock of her light blonde hair from her face. East Harlem was a dangerous neighborhood and not the ideal place to be at 3 in the morning.

Her apartment wasn't much better at keeping out the cold and she realized upon arriving that is was half as cold inside her living room compared to outside. She noticed Maya's door ajar and prayed that she was asleep, not up, getting disappointed over how her mom had messed up. Again.

She was at ease when she pushed open Maya's door the slightest bit and noticed the heavy rise and fall of her chest as she slept. Her pet ferret, Ginger, was asleep on her bookshelf. She was hardly a pet, just a ferret that Maya bought from some guy on the subway one day and brought home. After reprimanding her daughter for buying something from some random guy on an underground form of transportation, she allowed Maya to keep the animal as long as it didn't chew up anything. She wasn't surprised to come home after a week of having Ginger and notice on of her mismatched couch pillows completely torn to shreds. She said nothing though, still letting Maya keep her beloved pet.

Katy sighed, flicking on the dim kitchen light and grabbing a bottle of cheap wine from the fridge. She poured herself more than usual and sat down on the couch, her eyes resting on the one photograph she kept around of her and Sam for Maya. When she was 12, Sam had reached out to Maya. Invited her over to visit him in Phoenix. Katy remembered her face lighting up when she received the letter than dropping quickly when she read about his new family. She threw out the letter and neither of them had heard from Sam except for the little child support he coughed up every month. She had imagined herself many times coming out to Arizona and really sticking it to Sam for leaving, but it was always just a fantasy.

Maya always believed she was the one who had drove Sam away and too busy to think about it, Katy didn't correct her. She knew she was bad at her job, being a mother was something she was never cut out for but it was the way her life was meant to be. Maya deserved better, she deserved people like the Matthews, so it wasn't fair for Maya to be stuck with someone like her.

Running away was the never the answer, but in her case she always convinced herself it could be.

**A/N: Whew! That a bit long and boring, sorry about that, still not a lot of dialogue but there will be next Thursday! I tried to write Katy the best I could but I don't think I did so well… Whatever! I hope you all had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year! Next chapter will be up on Thursday, January 1****st****, 2015!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Oh my god guys I am so, so, so sorry about this being a day later! I was so busy this week that I barely had time to write and then I realized that it was already Thursday and I had zero work done. Anyway, here's a really short, (sorry) chapter three of Landscapes and I hope it doesn't suck too much! Let's see if you guys can catch the reference Shawn makes in this chapter!**

**XxXxXxX**

"Hey Hunter."

Maya Hart wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed when it came to her schoolwork, but she always had a tiny shred of common sense because of her street smarts and she knew how to survive. This, however, was definitely not one of those times.

Shawn turned around to face the shivering girl, immediately noticing the snow in her hair and her skinny arms wrapped around her shaking form. She wore nothing but a long sleeved shirt, jeans, and scuffed boots covered in snow. Shawn wished he could say he had been stupider than that once in his life but walking nearly ten blocks in 40 degree weather at five in the morning never even crossed his mind once.

"Jesus Christ Maya, what were you thinking?" He immediately began reprimanding her, something she obviously wasn't in the mood to hear. He pulled off one of his three jackets and handed it to her, which she thankfully accepted.

"It's s-no big deal." She stuttered out, wrapping the jacket around her without hesitation. "Heat's shut off in the apartment s-so I decided to come here." Her teeth chattered as she spoke but Shawn ignored it, it definitely wasn't one of Maya Hart's greatest moments. He leaned against the wall, letting out an exasperated sigh.

"Good luck getting in, they're all out cold in there. I've been trying for the past thirty minutes." He groaned. "Y'know, it's great that you're here." He commented, trying to sound sincere. Maya shot him a look of confusion and he continued. "You and Riley don't spend enough time together,why don't you guys just wear like one big shirt?"

"At least I have an excuse." She pointed out. "Why are you here?" Maya would be lying if she said she didn't envy the way Shawn lived. He had no commitments except for visiting the Matthews every few months. He was alone, he was doing what he loved and he didn't have anyone to leave him when they got sick of him. Plus, he traveled all over the country and lived in a trailer by himself. Who wouldn't want to do that? She wasn't saying self-isolation was a _good _thing, it just seemed like a smart way to live. Don't get close to anyone, you don't get hurt by anyone.

"I've got an assignment in Jersey this weekend, thought I'd pop in for a day before I took off again." He shrugged. He would only be around for a few hours before he had to hit the road, but he needed a place to rest for a little while. Plus, he had eaten nothing but chips and a few bottles of Coke for the past twenty-four hours and one of Topanga's home-cooked meals sounded like a dream at the moment.

"Sounds cool. As long as your trailer doesn't break down again, right?" She smirked and Shawn sighed again, remembering the 6-hour long road trip he had taken with Josh bugging him the whole way, Auggie complaining and getting carsick, and Riley and Maya completely ignoring anything he said. When they finally got to Upstate New York, the trailer broke down about a mile from the hotel where he was staying. It had taken at least three hours to get a roadside maintenance guy out there, and then of course they said they would have to take it to the shop for a new battery because his old one was shot. They ended up getting burgers at some run-down diner and Shawn having to call Cory and Topanga to pick them up. By far, the worst road trip of his life and he had to endure two hours of Josh bugging him on the ride home about how he should have gotten his trailer looked at before they left.

"Thanks, kid. I guess you don't want my gift to you from the way you're acting, huh?" He commented dryly, taking pleasure in the way her face lit up and she tried to hide it.

"Well, I mean since you already bought it…" She scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Might as well give it to me."

"I could always just give it to Cory, he'd probably appreciate it more." Shawn suggested, enjoying stringing her along and watching her irritated expression. He extracted the tiny red box from his coat pocket and tossed it to her. Maya didn't hesitate as she tore away the bow and opened the parcel. Inside was a blue and green beaded necklace he had picked up when he was in Arizona.

"Thanks Hunter, but I'm sure Cory would like this more than me." She teased, already placing the clay beads around her neck. "Where'd you get it?" She questioned, not taking her eyes off the souvenir.

"Dollar store." He replied confidently, ignoring the glare Maya shot him. "Tucson, Arizona. A hippie sold it to me." He answered truthfully. Tucson was one of the weirdest places he had visited that year and he figured the beaded memento would come in handy sometime down the road. Maya grinned pulling her spare key to the Matthew's place out from her jeans pocket.

"Almost forgot about this." She laughed, unlocking the door to the apartment and letting both herself and Shawn in. "Whoops." Maya shrugged, leaning back on the couch.

"Happy birthday." He growled with fake irritation as he made his way to the kitchen. "They actually made you a key?" Shawn called from the fridge where he was already rummaging around for anything.

"Two. I lost the other one." She admitted, resting on one of the throw pillows and kicking her boots off. "Can you wake me up when RIley gets up?" She asked tiredly, suppressing a yawn. She was out cold in a minute before Shawn had time to reply.

"Yeah, sure kid." He grinned affectionately as he made his way over to the couch, throwing the afghan resting on the armchair over her body. Shawn sighed as he made his way back to the kitchen, not taking his eyes off Maya asleep on the couch.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Well, we've learned an important lesson these past few weeks. Evidently, I cannot write two chapters a week. So, I've resolves to just doing one and trying to stay on that track. School is really hard for me right now and top of school and homework I have dance and gymnastics to handle. Anyway, the point is I'm going to try to update once a week, mainly on Fridays or Saturdays. Be prepared for a lot of Maya and Katy emotion this chapter! Let's see if you guys can catch the BMW reference I made.**

**Another thing: yes, I know Maya is turning fourteen in tonight's episode but the writers specifically stated they made a continuity error. So, I'm making Maya turn fourteen in my story. The story is set in 2016m the year Maya should have turned fourteen. Farkle is fourteen, Riley is fourteen, Lucas is fifteen, and Auggie is six going on seven. The main four are in the eighth grade. Just to clear that up, enjoy the chapter!**

**XxXxXxX**

Riley Matthews woke up to the smell of pancakes wafting through her door and the sounds of cheerful laughter. She grinned as she pulled herself out of bed, beyond excited that is was finally Saturday and no one had to come in and wake her up every five minutes to make sure she actually got up for school.

Running a brush through her tangled brown hair while simultaneously trying to get dressed wasn't a great idea, but she couldn't help it. She was giddy with excitement because it was finally Maya's birthday. Last year, things hadn't gone over all that well and it was mostly her fault.

Okay, so a lot her fault.

At first, her plan to be a matchmaker sounded like an awesome idea. Maya would finally have a dad, Katy would finally have a husband, and Shawn would finally start his life and have a family. What Riley didn't exactly know was that Maya didn't want her tampering with her life, Katy didn't want her tampering with her life, and Shawn was still obsessed with some purse girl from high school. She shrugged as she finished putting on her mascara and gabbed Maya's neatly wrapped present from the bay window. She knew she couldn't always fix everything, but she still tried anyway. The point was, she had stopped trying to set people up. The only people she wanted to see together now were her and Lucas.

"Is Maya here yet?" Riley called as she emerged from her room. She had overslept a bit, figuring that Maya would have come in through her window and woken her up as she always did. Birthdays were never a big deal for the harts, but Maya always wanted to celebrate her birthday over at the Matthews'. As she entered the living room, Riley noticed her Uncle Shawn chatting with her dad. Auggie was sitting on the edge of the counter, eating a banana and listening to them talk. "Uncle Shawn!" she cheered, running over to give her uncle a hug.

"She's on the couch." Shawn directed warmly as Riley broke away from the bear hug he had given her. The blonde was indeed passed out on the couch, covered with a red afghan. Around her neck was pretty beaded necklace that Riley had never seen before. She wondered if Maya had taken another trinket from the lost and found.

"Auggie, you wanna help me wake her up?" Riley called to her little brother, grabbing the six year old's attention. He nodded eagerly, jumping off the counter and throwing his banana peel in the trash. She whispered something in his ear, making his face light up with happiness.

"Okay, one, two, three." She breathed almost silently as they neared Maya. Auggie jumped on the couch, sitting on Maya's legs and waking her up instantly.

"Happy Birthday!" The both screamed, wrapping Maya in a huge hug. She looked shocked for a moment before realizing what was going on and hugging them both back tightly.

"Happy birthday." She grinned back. She stopped for a moment, noticing the weird looks on Riley and Auggie's faces. "You know what I mean." She laughed, getting up from the couch.

"That's a pretty necklace, Maya." Auggie commented, reaching out to touch the hard clay beads.

"Thanks, Aug. Hunter gave it to me." She explained. Riley blushed suddenly and Maya could tell what she was thinking. "I promise." She added, taking pleasure in the embarrassed look on Riley's face.

"Someone get the stove, I gotta run!" Riley could hear her mother's panicked voice from the other room and ran to turn the stove off before the pancakes burned. Topanga walked out from her room, high heels clicking against the floor. "Good morning Riley, Maya." She greeted quickly, kissing Riley on the forehead. "Oh! And Happy Birthday!" she added towards Maya's direction.

"Mommy, why are you going to work today?" Auggie questioned innocently, jumping onto the arm of the sofa, his legs dangling in front of him.

"Yeah Mommy, why?" Riley asked jokingly, earning a look from her mother.

"Mommy has a case today and if anyone touches that cake in the panty I will personally rip it out of you." She threatened, more to Shawn who was already looking in the pantry for more food.

"Topanga, relax. I've got everything under control." Cory laughed, wrapping her in a hug. Topanga looked around once more, worry in her eyes.

"I need to go order a new cake." She sighed, turning once more towards Maya. "Happy fourteenth, honey. I'll be back later, have fun." She added before rushing back into her room to grab her briefcase. Maya and Riley took a seat at the table together, both taking some pancakes off the big plate in the middle.

"So," Riley started through a mouthful of pancake and syrup. "Have you heard from your mom yet?" She glanced over to Maya, her hunched over disposition displaying she did not and had no willingness to talk about the subject.

"These pancakes are so good." She exclaimed, shoving a forkful in her mouth. "I'm gonna have to get this recipe, Mrs. M!" she yelled to the other room.

"Maya, we need to talk about this sometime." Riley reasoned, noticing the worried looks she was getting from Shawn and Cory. Maya downed her glass of orange juice before getting up from the table, her boots hitting the floor.

"I can't hear you, ba bad a da duh da duh da da da duh!" She scatted as she headed towards Riley's room, brushing past Topanga as she ran from the hall. She shot Cory a confused look before grabbing her coffee mug and rushing out the door. Riley reluctantly went after Maya.

However, as Topanga turned away from locking the door, she swore she saw a woman in a blue dress running down the hall. Shrugging it off, she pushed all thoughts of that from her mind and headed to work.

XxXxXxX

She had been outside the door working up the courage to just knock for nearly ten minutes and nothing had happened yet.

Her mind had seemingly split into two and the side that was saying she should leave and forget about it was winning at the moment.

Katy could hear the playful banter of the Matthews family inside, she could smell pancakes cooking and people laughing and talking. She knew that was what a real family was suppose to sound like on a Saturday morning and when she woke up two hours ago on the living room couch, she knew Maya was over at the Matthew's place, just like she always was.

Her pale hand was shaking as she brought it up to the door and sighed, closing her eyes tightly. If she went in there now, she and Maya could spend the day together. She had taken work off and didn't mind doing whatever Maya wanted to do on her birthday. She would have a chance to mend the relationship that was hanging by a thread. Something she had never been able to do with Sam. She was the reason he was gone, not Maya, not anyone else. It was all her.

Katy could feel her face getting hot and knew the tears were coming. She remembered the nights she stayed up with Maya when she couldn't sleep and the two watched TV until her little girl was asleep on her lap. But, Maya wasn't a little girl anymore. She was 14, she was 14 and she deserved to spend her birthday with the people who were in that room.

Goosebumps arose on her skin as she left the building and not just from the cold. Her old Hondo waited outside for her and as she climbed into the musty car, she couldn't help but let her guard down. Katy was never what Maya needed and she never would be. Her waitress outfit covered up her failure as an actress and a mother. That was all she would ever be; a waitress.

She blinked hard as she started up the car, gently pulling away from the apartment building and not taking her eyes off the road until she realized she was on the highway and not too far from the bridge connecting New Jersey and Manhattan. She could hear her little girl's voice in the back of her head as she got onto the bridge and wondered if she would ever come back. It was cowardly, she knew that, but it was safe.

If running was the only option for a coward, than she was the biggest one she new.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: What did you guys think of Girl Meets Master Plan last week? So sad that GMW is on ANOTHER hiatus but I heard the Girl Meets Farkle's Choice is awesome! Can't complain about another Farkle episode. Well, here's chapter five of Landscapes, hope you guys enjoy. Sorry this chapter is a little long guys, I got super bored today.**

**XxXxXxX**

She sat down gently on one the bay window, shoving aside a pillow and not meeting Riley's gaze. Her mother had tried, she knew that, she understood that her mother had to take late shifts well into the night and then get home which took more than half an hour and Maya knew she was tired, but she could've at least stayed sober. She lied to the Matthews when she said that her mother was at the diner again because watching someone you care about drink themselves into an oblivion wasn't something to share. Her mother deserved a lot better than the life she had but that didn't make Maya any less disappointed in the way she was handling things.

For the first few months after she turned thirteen, everything had been great. She and her mother were closer than ever and Shawn was the one to thank for that, but nothing good in Maya's life ever lasted that long and as soon as things started going downhill, so did their relationship. The bills were almost never paid on time and Maya was the one who had to keep reminding her mother. The Matthews house seemed like paradise whenever she went over there and discovered they had heat and hot water in their showers. She knew people would get suspicious though, especially Riley and her family, so she really hammed it up whenever someone even mentioned her mother. 'Everything is great!' came out of her mouth more times than she could count and occasionally would spend entire weekends alone when she lied about spending time with her mother and how she couldn't go over to Riley's house. It was worth the act though, she wasn't a charity case and she didn't anyone taking pity on her or her mother.

"Maya, it's not your fault." Riley sighed, trying to console her best friend. And there was that tone, the "everything-is-going-to-be-okay-we-love-and-care-about-you" tone. She hated that tone so much and she had heard it so many times in the past year she had wanted to puke. Even though she was still in Mr. Matthews' history class for third period, she knew the way that other teachers looked at her when she failed a test or didn't turn in her homework, she was a lost cause, she had been recommended more than once to see the school's guidance counselor that year and considering the counselor also sold real-estate, Maya figured that it wasn't worth missing one lunch period to go see some greasy-haired hippie that would tell her that school was the most important thing in her life and if she just put in a little more blah blah blah blah blah. It didn't matter.

"I know, Riles. I don't care, she needed to take an early shift and she couldn't get off work." Maya lied through her teeth. It always made her sick, lying to Riley or the Matthews or Shawn. Made her feel like she was doing something wrong even though she lied through most of her life. Suddenly, the two girls heard Riley's door open and they looked up from the window.

"Mind if I handle this one, Riley?" Shawn questioned as he stepped into the room. Maya put on her best glare, she didn't want to talk to Shawn, she didn't want to talk to Riley, she didn't want to talk to anyone. Riley nodded eagerly as she got up from her spot and looked over to Maya once more.

"You got this, buddy." She smiled softly as she turned and strode out. Maya rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide her faint smile as Shawn sat down next to her and she was reminded of the first time they met last year over Christmas dinner. He seemed like such a jerk, running out on people and not ever looking back. She would be lying if she said she didn't admire him for that, but it was still wrong to treat Riley the way he did. She would protect her best friend at all costs and it was obvious she didn't care who got in the way when she was doing just that.

"I'm not going to ask if you're okay, because you're obviously not." He started off, leaning against the window and crossing his arms over his chest. Maya broke her glare and dropped her eyes down to the hardwood floors, kicking at them with her scuffed boot.

"I'm fine, Hunter. I just don't want to talk about it." She bit back saying something she would regret later, she didn't need to lose Shawn too because she was being a whiny little kid. It didn't matter what her mother was doing, with or without her Maya would be fine. She didn't need anyone.

"Hey, look, I know how easy it is when someone reaches out to you or tells you they care. You want to run, I get that, but you can't just block everyone out, Maya." He explained gently and she looked up to meet his eyes, shooting him a confused glance.

"You're out of tune, that wasn't you." She commented dryly. Now it was Shawn's turn to be confused.

"What?"

"You didn't say that, you wouldn't say something like that. Who told you that?" She questioned, cocking an eyebrow. She had heard stories of the great Mr. Feeny and even met him once when they went to visit Philly, but that didn't sound like something he'd say either. It was simplistic but wise at the same time and she couldn't place who would've told Shawn something like that.

"An old friend." He responded after a moment of thought. He suddenly shook his head of his memories and focused back on Maya in front of him. "That's not the point, though. Look, how about you and I head out? I'll tell the Matthews we went for a walk or something and you can tell me what's going on between you and your mother, alright?" He asked hopefully and as much as Maya wanted to accept his offer, she couldn't. Everyone always said talking things through helped but she didn't need help, she just needed herself and her thoughts.

"Fat chance, Hunter. Can you tell them I forgot something at my apartment, I need to go." She panicked, thinking up a bad excuse as she shoved open the window and began to crawl out. Shawn attempted to pull her back, but she was quicker than that. She was already making her way down the fire escape when Shawn called after her.

"Maya! Get back here, now!" He yelled out the window and a few people passing by looked up at him. She waved once before darting off, extremely quickly despite she was running in boots. He sighed, running a hand through his hair and closing his eyes dejectedly. _'She'll be fine.' _He attempted to reassure himself '_She's smart, she'll be okay.'_ But he got up anyway to go break the news to Cory and Riley. He needed to leave in less than five hours, but that didn't mean that someone else could go out and search for her.

It was shocking, though, how much this kid reminded him of himself. She just needed someone less like him in her life.

XxXxXxX

It wasn't too late into the evening, but Riley still shivered as she moved closer to her father, Shawn leading the trio down 17th street. He turned to the other two, shoving his hands in his coat pockets.

"What time is it?" He asked Cory for what seemed like the third time in the past hour. He was supposed to leave for Jersey at 4 that afternoon but now it was going on 7:00 and they had only been back to the Matthew's apartment once in the past three hours they had been searching. They had all waited a stupidly long time for Maya to come back, just hoping that she hadn't ran off and done something completely irrational, but to no avail. Cory proposed they leave and go search for her when Topanga had got home around 3:00. They had been looking for the girl for just under four hours and no trace of her. Finally, Shawn decided to check the Nighthawk diner before he needed to leave. Maya was one thing to find, but maybe Katy could lead them to the girl.

"6:56." Cory replied, glancing down at the silver face of his watch in the dim streetlight. "You want us to come in with you?" he asked tiredly. Shawn didn't blame him, he was going to be late for his assignment in Jersey already and he wasn't exactly head-over-heels for having yet another discussion with Katy Hart about ditching people. She was a good woman, just not exactly a provider.

"Nah, you two can go on home without me. All my stuff's in the trailer anyway." He sighed, leaning in to give Riley a hug. "Look out for her, will you?" He whispered in her ear. She nodded as they broke away and he turned to Cory. "Good luck, I'll see you in a few weeks?" Cory sighed as he wrapped Shawn in a hug before he placed an arm around Riley's shoulders and turned. It was now or never, Shawn realized as he looked at the Nighthawk diner in front of him.

He was greeted by the warmness of fluorescent lighting as he stepped into the tiled diner. He glanced towards the counter and noticed one of Katy's coworkers working the register and another waitress in heels and the familiar blue dress waiting the nearly vacant tables. He marched up to the counter, noticing the nametag pinned on the waitress' dress; Alexa.

"Hey, do you know if Katy Hart's working today?" He asked, sliding into one of the red leather seats at the bar. Alexa glanced up from the register, crossing her arms over her chest.

"She took a personal day." She spat in a heavy Brooklyn accent. The dark circles under her eyes suggested that she really didn't want to be bothered with her co-worker's problems and Shawn sighed, muttering his thanks before leaving the restaurant in defeat. It was no use, both Maya and Katy were off the grid. He was confused, however, about one thing. Hadn't Maya said her mother had taken an early shift at the diner that morning and she hadn't seen her? If Katy wasn't working, where was she?

He shook his head of all the horrible possibilities running through his mind as he pulled his phone out of his back pocket. He texted Cory about Katy's disappearance before hailing a taxi and giving the address of the rv park where he had left his trailer. He couldn't help glancing out the window as they passed East Harlem and wondered where Maya had snuck off to, she was too complex to just head home to her apartment or the diner, but also smart enough that she would find a place where she couldn't be found, no matter how dangerous it was.

"That'll be $10.50." The cabbie commented, shaking Shawn from his thoughts. He handed over the crumpled bills from his pocket before climbing out and grabbing the keys to his trailer.

'_She'll be fine. She knows what she's doing.' _ He repeated the mantra in his head again as he climbed into his old pickup attached to the trailer and started it up. Who was he kidding though, Maya could be anywhere by now and one thing he knew about himself was that he had done some pretty stupid stuff whenever he stormed out because of something that upset him. He just hoped Maya wasn't the same.

XxXxXxX

Maya wasn't exactly planning to spend her fourteenth birthday hiding out in the school gyms, talking to Janitor Harley, but she wasn't one for complaining.

She basically helped him clean half the day, following him around with a mop and venting her problems to him while he told her about when he was in high school and how he used to torture Mr. Matthews and Shawn. He had some pretty funny stories, and even gave her a key to the art room before he left around noon, just telling her not to mess around too much. Alright, so maybe Janitor Harley wasn't the greatest or most responsible adult but he was still pretty cool.

She left the art room almost three hours later, being careful to pack up whatever she had used and lock up the room so Janitor Harley wouldn't get in trouble. She dragged out walking back to her apartment as long as she could, not really wanting to have a talk with her mother or even see her for that matter. She had the chance to spend the day with her daughter and didn't even try to. Then again, Maya hadn't exactly tried to either.

When she got back to her apartment, it was almost five in the afternoon and she knew her mother would be at work or still asleep, so she sat down on the steps having already realized she foolishly left her keys at the Matthews'. A hazy red settled into the sky and streetlights provided little comfort as she made herself more comfortable on the cobblestone stairs. She pulled out the pencil sketch drawing she had made while in the art room and gave it a hard look. It was a bad black and white pop art drawing of a girl that was only black and white because she was too lazy to actually paint it and she didn't want to make too much of a mess. So, she dug out the only nice shading pencils from the supplies cabinet in the back. She gave a small laugh before shoving the drawing back into her pocket closing her eyes for a momentary peace.

'_What if they're looking for you?' _

The thought struck her suddenly but it was definitely possible. While appreciated that someone actually cared about her, she still wasn't in the mood to be found. Hesitantly moving from her spot on the stairs and wrapping her arms around her arms, she definitely regretted not grabbing a coat before running out. All she wore was the same light sweater she had arrived at the Matthew's place long ago that morning.

She resorted to just plain ole' wandering around since she really didn't have anywhere else to go that evening. It was crazy, really, just walking around and expecting nothing to happen. She wasn't dumb, and she knew she definitely needed to find a place to stay for the night and the subway benches really didn't sound all that appealing at the moment.

'"_Hey, look, I know how easy it is when someone reaches out to you or tells you they care. You want to run, I get that, but you can't just block everyone out, Maya."_'Shawn's voice echoed in her mind and she shivered again. He was right, it was easier to run away, but that wasn't always the right thing to do.

She just wished someone would tell her mother that.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the short break, I went to Europe for a week and then I got too lazy to update when I came back. Anywho, I'd really like to see some more reviews coming in and thanks to all of you for reviewing and reading my story! Also, when I put 'xxx' anywhere in my story it means a short time break of only thirty minutes or so, 'XxXxXxX' means scene or character changes. That's all! So,without further ado, chapter 6 of Landscapes!**

**XxXxXxX**

His situation wasn't all that different from Riley's.

Okay, so it was a little different.

Back when he was eleven, blowing up a mailbox was considered a pretty big deal, and probably still would be. It wasn't something he would put past Maya but he knew she was smarter than that. Shawn Hunter? Not so much.

He tried to remember what his father had told him about friends coming to you when they needed your help the most. He tried numerous times, applying it to his daughter's problem and thinking of where in the world Maya had gone off to. Or her mother. They were both emotionally isolated from the rest of the world, something he discovered to be unhealthy, especially for a fourteen year old girl.

He'd be lying if he claimed he didn't care about her. He knew Shawn would be too, and Topanga cared for like she was her third child. Maya was important to both the Matthews and his best friend, but somehow the connection between Shawn and Maya just made sense. The resemblance in itself was uncanny and he had glanced over to them once or twice whenever Shawn visited for a few days and Maya would drop by. The way Maya was able to open up around him was only shared by Riley. He could see Shawn was at ease around the girl too, and Cory had even almost mistaken them for a father and daughter once.

Almost.

Shawn Hunter was basically the definition of a single guy. Angela came close to breaking him, but she slipped through the cracks and was gone in a matter of years. Ever since, the only phone numbers he collected resulted in a cheap dinner or one night spent together before he would inform his friends that is 'just didn't work out.' There was a better chance of him winning the lottery than ever seeing Shawn Hunter settled down, let alone having a daughter. But still, putting together that plan with Riley just seemed to make sense and while it didn't exactly work out, he did succeed in getting Maya closer to her mom, which obviously lasted long.

Riley was at a loss for words. She set up camp on the couch for the night and unlocked her window for Maya to climb inside if she needed it. There was no way she was missing her if Maya came by and needed her help. Her loyalty was almost cute, but serious at the same time. Friends like Shawn and Maya weren't exactly predictable.

He knew Shawn was just as worried as Riley and him. The look of shock on his face when he told them how Maya had ran off, how shock grew to panic and when one hour turned to two, two to three, and beyond that when they couldn't find her. He even admitted himself that she reminded him of himself so much it was almost scary, he always believed he was one step ahead of her but she could be even worse than Shawn and even Riley knew that.

But, if there was one thing everybody was sure of it was that Maya needed Riley and if she wanted to come to anybody, she'd come to Riley first. The only thing Cory was worried about was the dropping temperatures outside. It was getting darker and colder by the minute and wandering around New York City in the middle of January couldn't be considered 'street smart.' He knew that when he woke up the next morning, Riley and Maya would be passed out on the couch or in Riley's room, a tangle of blonde and brown hair and their breathing in synchronization.

Except, it didn't exactly go down that way.

xxx

It was close to midnight when the tapping began.

He figured it had to be the wind or a pigeon or something like that. Besides, he was getting ready for bed after a long day and couldn't be bothered by anything else at that moment. He glanced over to Riley passed out on the couch and smiled gently as he shut the living room light off. That was when the tapping turned into heavy, almost panicked, rapping and he knew it was much more than the wind.

A breeze of freezing air flew into the room as he opened the locked window and Maya Hart crawled in, her lops almost blue and snow falling from her blonde hair. He cursed, making Maya's eyes go wide as he reached for the wool blanket resting on the bay window closest to the balcony.

"Never 'eard you swear like t-that before, M-Mr. Matt'ews." She chattered, rubbing her arms with the blanket. He only glared down at her, she knew she was being stupid again an in was just like that morning when he showed up and met Shawn outside the apartment. It wasn't her fault, her mind was so set on rebelling bringing along a coat wasn't the first thing on her stubborn teenage mind.

"Sit down, couch. Wake her up." He ordered heading into his own room to get Topanga. He figured he'd need her to get through this. But, it was better she was here rather than off doing something stupid.

The funny thing was, he couldn't help him and his own parents had been through the same thing with Shawn before and he couldn't help the slight smile that came across his face as he shook Topanga awake.

XxXxXxX

She had her arms around Maya in a bone-crushing hug faster than ever.

"You need to stop running away." She scolded simply, not thinking of anything else to say. Her brown hair was a mess and the afghan blanket was tangled in her lap but that didn't stop her from leaping up the second she laid eyes on Maya.

"I'll promise if you don't choke me first." She grinned back, giving into Riley's hug before the brunette broke away, a serious look on her face. Maya suppressed a groan, she didn't do serious, which was why she was currently terrified of what Mr. Matthews was going to say.

"I was worried about you. We all were." She shrugged, playing with her pajama pants and averting Maya's gaze. "You okay?" The naïve question almost annoyed her but coming from Riley she knew her best friend expected an honest answer. She expected too much.

"She will be." Topanga's voice broke into Maya's awkward silence and the two girls looked up. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews rested in the doorway, looking over them. Maya nodded solemnly and they both crossed into the threshold of the room, concerned looks on their faces.

"You can't keep doing things like this, Maya." Topanga started, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "It scares us and everyone around you."

"And I know it scares me." Riley interjected quietly.

"Where _did_ you go anyway?" Cory questioned, perking an eyebrow. They had practically searched most of Manhattan and Harlem before heading back and even then they had no idea where she had disappeared to.

"The school." She answered simply. He opened his mouth to scold her for trespassing on school property, but she interrupted. "I helped Janitor Harley clean."

Topanga held in a chuckle as she too took a seat on the couch. "You can stay here for tonight, but I think we should probably have a talk with your mother tomorrow. Did she know you ran away?" She questioned, holding eye contact with the girl who suddenly grew nervous.

"Well, um, that might be a little hard seeing as how she's not really, there." She looked up at something on the ceiling, choosing her words carefully as if she didn't know what else she could say.

"What?" Riley and Mr. Matthews shared a confused look as Topanga voiced what they were all thinking. She kept her eyes on the ceiling, blinking back tears profusely.

"I came home after visiting the school, and um she wasn't there at all. I tried going to her diner but everyone said she took a day off. I, I don't really know maybe she's just having a personal day but um-" Before she finished, Topanga pulled her into a hug and the room fell silent, only the sound of Maya's sobbing breaking the silence that seemed to fill up like a balloon and take all of their breath away.

XxXxXxX

He wasn't the biggest fan of Tuna Melts.

It had only been a few hours since he arrived in Jersey but it had taken him nearly an hour to get everything up to his hotel room. He was supposed to be writing about some Navy Ship or a pier this weekend, which wasn't exactly what he wanted to do in Jersey, but it wasn't like he had a choice.

His mind was on only one person as he drove to Jersey that evening. Scratch that, two people. Katy Hart was gone, disappeared, and probably off doing something she hadn't promised her daughter she'd do. Katy wasn't the portrait of a perfect mother no matter how much Shawn and Maya wanted her to be, but just up and leaving was a new low and a new problem for Maya. Unfortunately, it was something Shawn had already been through and he knew how the story ended. It wasn't fair, especially to the already fragile fourteen-year-old girl who had endured enough disappointment in the past two years of her life than anyone should.

It was a few hours before he decided he needed to grab something to eat before he passed out. He hadn't eaten anything since breakfast that day and searching for a girl all over Manhattan wasn't exactly on his to-do list. He walked to a relatively seedy looking pub near his hotel and looked around. Usually, walking into a bar at eleven at night wasn't smart but it was Jersey, there was less chance of him being mugged or stabbed in the back alley. Only a small chance, but still it was safer than New York and he just needed some food. He didn't have the time to search the city for some five-star restaurant.

"Basket of fries, and a coke." He ordered as he took a seat in a barstool. He almost dropped his wallet when he saw who was seated next to him, a tuna melt on her plate.

XxXxXxX

**A little cliffhanger for you guys there, sorry this chapter was kind of lame I basically just wrote it in a matter of hours and didn't really have any ideas. Next chapter will be more exciting though, I promise!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: A little late this week but I was pretty busy. Cant believes season 1 of GMW is almost over! March 27****th**** is the finale and I'm honestly not looking forward to it, Girl Meets First Date doesn't sound all that great but oh well. Beggars can't be choosers, or um, watchers can't be choosers? Whatever. Here's chapter 7 of Landscapes, (It's a long one) hope you enjoy!**

**XxXxXxX**

Shawn didn't think he would ever get into college.

His senior year was a mess. He moved in with his older brother, Jack, and Cory's brother, Eric, Cory and Topanga were trying to work out their relationship, and every time he turned around Feeny was there trying to teach him a lesson about school or life or something. By the time he turned 18, he had already tried to drop out of school twice, became a temp at his work-study job, and had snuck into a superbowl. The superbowl was an interesting story, but in the end he and Cory had learned that they couldn't always be codependent. Shawn needed to find his own place as much as Cory needed to find his, so when Cory and Topanga had Riley, Shawn stepped out of the way.

As much as the lesson helped, by the end of his last year of high school, there was no possible way of him getting into college. He had wasted over $100 dollars on sending in college applications to four different colleges and there was still no way of him getting into college. He lived in a trailer for half his life, and he was still depending on someone else to pay his rent. That was around the time he found photography.

Being in the darkroom was second nature to him. It was like poetry, except he didn't have to hide it from his brother and his friends. It was something he could do without being judged and his boss was encouraging him to keep taking pictures. He was good, he knew it, his boss knew it, and there was no use for college anymore. The only thing that was holding him back was Cory.

He didn't know how he got in, but the acceptance letter make him giddy with excitement even though he couldn't tell anyone. He was Shawn Hunter, nobody cared about school less than Shawn Hunter, in the tenth grade he tried to take a year off by getting a bus to Europe. A bus. That wasn't exactly one of his greatest moments. Pennbrook was great though, Cory, Topanga, his brother, Eric, Rachel, and Angela.

Angela.

Angela was the biggest thing to happen to him that year, his first steady girlfriend for more than two weeks. They were more than compatible and equally troubled, so it didn't exactly make sense to his 20-year-old self when she said she had to leave him. His father was never a big part of his life and Angela understood that and understood that even though they were broken up when his father had died, she was his friend and there to comfort him and Jack. Friends did that, they were there for each other, just like two people in a relationship had to be when they needed each other. He wasn't there for her when she chose her dad over him and he couldn't stand to watch her go, and he didn't understand ten years later why she hadn't talked to him since. Not one letter.

The point was, Shawn wasn't great at keeping things; friends, relationships, a steady job. But he found his way and soon he got through it. He was living the life he wanted when he was fifteen. He wasn't that smart at fifteen. But, he was smart at 34, and when he saw Katy Hart sitting at the bar alone, head down and eyes shut tightly as if she was praying, he knew he needed to say something. He knew Maya couldn't end up like him and he wasn't a great role model to start with. Maya needed to keep things, especially the relationship between her and her mother before it was too late.

You can't drive off one day and leave your kid with someone else. It just isn't right, no matter how much you believe it is.

XxXxXxX

Cory understood his dad a whole lot better as he grew older.

Nobody looks back on seventh grade fondly, but Cory would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it a little bit. His life wasn't bad, just a little confusing, especially when he was young. But, his father seemed to know what he was doing. He was the biggest influence on his adolescent life just like every parent or teacher or role model is to their child. His father was a father to other people too and generous would be the only way to describe it. He took Shawn under his wing just like Cory had done, and his mother was even better. Shawn basically lived at his house throughout high school and even in college they lived together, but seventh grade was a confusing time for both of them, but Cory always turned to his parents. Shawn, however, didn't exactly have a parent to turn to.

Jonathan Turner was unorthodox to say the least. He was the cool teacher, or as Cory liked to put it, Feeny with an earring. It was the first class that Shawn genuinely paid attention to before he was sixteen and Cory saw the way that Mr. Turner was able to keep his student's attention and relate to what they were going through at thirteen-year-olds. Although he wouldn't tell anyone, Cory aspired to be like his English teacher the first day he met him when he assigned an X-men comic for homework. Even though he couldn't tell he wanted to be a teacher at that age, he knew that he wanted kids to look up to him the way he, Shawn, and Topanga looked up to Mr. Turner.

By the end of seventh grade, Shawn was living in a motel. His life was never satisfactory in the trailer park but at least he had his folks, that was until his mom took his house and left one day. His father, obligated to go after her, left Shawn at a motel and started his journey halfway across the country. The next morning, Shawn appeared at Cory's house after being dropped off by none other then Mr. Turner. Then, Chet Hunter dropped by and just left Shawn at Cory's place. His father though never even spoke a word of protest. He was there for his family and his family's friends and he knew Shawn needed more than just a place to stay for one night. Mr. Turner saw it too though and Cory knew that over the past year Shawn had excelled in English than any other year. Like he said, Shawn paid attention to Mr. Turner. He had that certain way about him, something that made Shawn trust him the way Shawn had never trusted any other teacher.

The first three weeks Shawn stayed with Cory and his family were more than hellish. Eric was stressed, his mom was stressed, his father was stressed, and his little sister just didn't want another person taking up space. Shawn, clearly out of his element, was one to think on a whim before actually considering any of the consequences and he snuck out one night and didn't return, (again) until the next morning. Cory was worried for his friend but when he saw Shawn talking things out with Mr. Turner under his bedroom window that morning, he knew things were going to be okay.

Then, he fell out of a tree.

But, the point was, Maya was like Shawn. She needed a parent, some sort of guidance, anything to help her through what was going on. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't scared of what was going on. Cory wasn't his father, he could hardly keep control of his class let alone another girl in his home, but when he saw the two girls fast asleep on each other that night, he knew what he had to do.

It's terrifying, really, how history can repeat itself so easily.

XxXxXxX

Her mother wasn't one to back down. Well, not when she was younger.

Maya could remember the fighting that echoed through the hallways of the apartment and the paper-thin walls that let her hear every word of her parents' fights.

It was something she grew accustomed to. The casual sigh of her mother whenever Maya would walk into the room during a fight or when she would try to ask her a question stuck in the back of her head on a constant loop.

"Don't upset your mother, not now honey." She would purse her lips and turn away, popping two aspirin in her mouth and placing a cold cloth on her head. This was how she usually recovered from a fight when her father left the house in a drunken rage, slamming the door so hard the walls rattled and Maya's heart raced of what would happen if he came back. It was scarier for the small girl when her mother would leave though. She didn't like being left alone with her dad after a fight, he seemed to cut the screaming and the cursing out of his memory after Katy left, turning to Maya and trying to calm her down. It was like he was in denial about his failing marriage.

She didn't see her mother cry until she was eight. It was the night her father left and she saw the gleam of his Toyota's headlights leave their street from her second-story window. He never took the car when he left in the middle of a fight.

Her mother didn't have time to take the aspirin before Maya came out. She was doubled over the sink, sobbing and barely stopping to breathe. Maya let out a strangled cry at her mother in so much pain. Her momma was strong, she didn't cry, she didn't back down.

She became much more compliant after that. She worked long hours and barely spoke to Maya and after about a week Maya knew her father wouldn't come back. There'd be no more staying up and watching TV until her mother returned, no more eating chocolate that he brought home from work hid in the bottom of the bag so it would be a surprise. It hit Maya even harder when she finally figured it out that she skipped school for a few days. Riley was the only one to notice and soon came to her apartment door, arms crossed over her chest, fire in her eyes.

"You're not sick." Riley snapped, inviting herself in and pushing past Maya. The two girls locked eyes in a silent staring match before Maya finally wrapped her arms around her best friend in a death grip that she had to break away so Riley didn't suffocate. That was the day Riley learned what Maya went through at home.

"You can't tell anyone, not even your mom." Maya ordered before Riley left that afternoon. Riley shrugged and stared down at her pink sneakers. "Please don't. I don't want anyone to know." She added and Riley nodded with obvious reluctance. After that, the two girls were closer than ever. Riley all but stopped even talking to other kids in their third-grade class, well, until Farkle Minkus came into the picture.

His smooth bowl cut was an object of ridicule and that was something Maya used everyday. If it wasn't 'coconut-head' it was 'Jim Carrey' or even 'Austin Powers'. It didn't matter to that kid though, he only further pursued the two girls, claiming he loved them every day and telling everyone else he was dating Maya one day and Riley the next. The day he handed the entire class clean, crisp envelopes was the day everything changed for the trio. Riley convinced, (forced) Maya to come to his eighth birthday party and buy him a present. She didn't buy him anything; she just dug out her old penny board and stuck a bow on it. She did, however, draw him a picture of the van from Dumb and Dumber for the birthday card Riley had brought over for her to sign. Cars were the only thing she knew how to draw at that age other than people with circles for hands.

There were only two other kids that showed up to the nearly 2,000 square foot apartment with a crystal chandelier for Farkle's birthday. Halfway through the party, Maya dragged Farkle and Riley out the door and to the park across the street. She grabbed the penny board and started showing Farkle how to do tricks on the mini skateboard. It was when she was doing a kickflip off the park bench that a squirrel darted past her and she got distracted, slipping and hitting her head on the back of the bench so hard it would leave a scar. Fortunately, it only bled for an hour in the miserable hospital waiting room before they called her in to get stitches. However, she was mortified to remember she cried the entire time Riley and Farkle ran to get Farkle's dad, the ride to the hospital, and finally ceased to a sniveling stop when Farkle started trying to a cartwheel in the waiting room to cheer her up. From then on, Riley and Maya were instant friends with the bowl-cut donning genius. It was like some unspoken bonding between the three kept them together and it only grew stronger when they added country boy Lucas Friar to the mix.

Maya wasn't one to dwell but she couldn't be more thankful when the Matthews explained calmly to her that she was going to stay with them until they could get her mom back. And for the second time that night she found herself reduced to tears and wrapped in her best friend's arms.

XxXxXxX

"You're really gonna see this through, aren't ya?"

He was being cocky, he knew it. He knew the way that his mom had literally ran from his father whenever he cornered her for more than a day on his year-long search across the country for her, Katy was the same way. He was playing with fire and expecting not to get burned, but the way Katy glanced up from her coffee with tears pricking at the corners of her eyes made his stomach drop. He would _not _feel bad for her, she left her daughter and she deserved to feel bad.

"Followed me all the way out here, did you Mr. Hunter?" She joked in a shaky voice, turning to face the man better. He only glared, giving her his best 'fuck you' face. Something he had perfected over the years.

"So, why'd ya do it Katy? You think you can just up and leave and someone else'll take care of your kid? That's not that way it works, even if she does have someone willing to take her in." He spat, half leaning on the bar, towering over Katy. She only glared back with as much defiance in her eyes as there was in his.

"You couldn't possibly understand, she doesn't need me, I'm not good for her." She sighed, rubbing her temples and shutting her eyes. Shawn scoffed, running a hand through his hair, something he did when he was stressed.

"You're what she needs, what she wants, and you're out here in Jersey on her _birthday_! Nobody even knows where she is, she ran off to go look for you probably and you're out here!" He emphasized his point even further as he took a seat. Maya didn't deserve to go through this and Katy was using some pretty bad excuses.

"Why do you even care?!" She snapped suddenly, opening her eyes again. He remembered the first time they had spoken; _"If you ever question my motherhood again I will smash a plate over your head." _And now here she was, worse off than ever and basically giving up on being a mother, which Shawn was pretty sure was against the rules of motherhood or something like that.

"Because she deserves a normal life and shouldn't be forced away from her home and her mother just because you need a break! You don't get a break!" He was shouting now and the entire bar was looking on but he didn't care. She needed to know what was right and what was wrong, and leaving your child was definitely on the wrong list.

"She can't have a normal life with me, I'm what's bad for her and if I come back it'll only make things worse." Her burst of fight was gone and she was looking down again, dejected. He sat too, looking her in the eyes, gently, as if he were handling a timid animal.

"You couldn't be more wrong."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: This chapter definitely took some thinking through and I'm glad I finally got it up. Announcement: I've just realized that I don't really have a definite ship for this story so I've decided to leave the choice up to you guys! I'll set up a poll AND you can leave your preference in the reviews so what ship there should be amongst both the kids and the adults. Here the choices (so far); Lucaya, Rucas, Riarkle, Markle, Shawngela, or Shaty. Tell me what you want to see in this story and I'll try to include it in the next few chapters. Well, let's not waste anymore time; here's chapter 8 of Landscapes.**

**XxXxXxX**

"Mommy, why is Maya still here?"

Her blue eyes shot up from her spoonful of oatmeal suddenly, glaring daggers at the seven-year-old seated in front of her. Riley quietly kicked her brother in the shin under the table and Maya returned her gaze to her breakfast. She couldn't eat, she felt sick like her mouth was full of glue and her head was full of rocks. She remembered how when she was little her mother would take a few hours off work or her Gammy would stay with her. They would watch whatever Maya wanted to in her mother's bedroom and-

_Stop. _Maya immediately reprimanded herself. _Stop thinking about it._

The last two days had been hell for her. She skipped school on Monday but Mr. Matthews was making her go today, claiming that she just couldn't sit on their couch all day no matter how she felt. However, she really _did _feel sick that morning, she just didn't want to say anything and have Mr. Matthews get mad at her.

"Auggie, Maya's going to be staying with us for a few days until her mother gets back, remember?" Topanga explained to her youngest son calmly. Riley suddenly stood from the table, shooting Maya a reassuring glance and grabbing her bag from the floor next to her seat. Maya followed suit, actually relieved that she wouldn't have to listen to Topanga sugarcoat her problems anymore. Her mother left her, simple as that. She didn't care just like her dad.

"See you later, mom." Riley commented, giving her mom a quick hug. As Maya followed the other girl outside silently she ignored Riley's attempts to stop and talk. She didn't need to talk or her friend's sympathy, she just wasn't in the mood. They reached the subway in uncomfortable tension and took their seats, Maya's arms crossed over her chest and Riley quietly picking at one of the flowers on her dress.

"Ladies." The voice of Farkle Minkus flirtatiously greeted them and Maya formed a scowl quicker than she could ever remember. Farkle didn't even take this route, he got his father to drive him to school everything morning.

"Farkle." She spat icily the same time as Riley. He immediately noticed the shift in the two girls' moods and took the only open seat next to them.

"You okay after yesterday, Maya?" Farkle asked cautiously. The blonde looked over to Riley next to her and sighed.

"You told _him_?" She snapped, knowing very well that her vulnerability was evident in her voice. She continued, however, not caring and oblivious to the stares of the other passengers around the trio. "Who else did you tell? Gunsmoke? The entire eighth grade?" Maybe she was overreacting, she didn't care. She was already on edge and this wasn't helping.

"I didn't tell anyone!" Riley shouted back, earning a few glares from the people around them. "How about you have some faith in your friends for once?" She continued, quieter. Maya only shook her head, groaning as she pushed passed her friends and off the subway which had come to a stop.

"Where's she going?" Farkle spoke up, still a little shaken from the argument that had just taken place.

"I wish I knew." Riley sighed as she and Farkle stepped off the subway.

XxXxXxX

Topanga wasn't oblivious to the shocking similarities between Shawn Hunter and Maya Hart, and that was what scared her.

Mrs. Matthews was always kind to her, being the girlfriend, and eventual wife, of her son. She was also always very kind to Shawn, almost like he was her third son. He had always been part of the Matthews' family and he and Cory had a bond that went beyond friendship. Even Cory's siblings considered Shawn part of their family and he was _always _at their house. Sure, when they were kids he was a bit of nuisance, but so was Cory and look how that turned out. He was a part of Cory, which made him a part of her too. She missed him nearly as bad as Cory missed him, which was saying something, but when Maya met Riley there was that certain Shawn-essence about her that reminded Topanga of her husband's best friend.

Shawn was the poster child for troubled. His mom was absent for most of his life, his dad was a little neglectful and left Shawn with the Matthews or even alone for days at a time. Mrs. Matthews was never one to voice a protest on Shawn staying with them though and Topanga knew that she would have him over any time and wouldn't care. In fact, Shawn was over there more times than Topanga ever was. He needed parents, _real _parents, like hers or Cory's and not what he got stuck with. But, Shawn always stuck with his dad even when his mom left, and eventually even his dad, and was fiercely loyal to him and would always come to his defense. This was how he was like Maya, she loved her mom but there were problems.

Topanga didn't want to see Maya end up like Shawn. It wasn't like she didn't respect him; it was just that staying that distant from literally everyone in your life definitely isn't healthy for someone like him. She couldn't even remember the last time he spoke to Eric, Jack, or Rachel, and Angela was so far out of the picture it wasn't a topic they could even touch upon without getting sidetracked. Maya deserved more than that and Topanga wanted to be there to make sure she grew up at least half normally. That was why she didn't care if Maya stayed with them for three days or three months, she wasn't going to be the one who left Maya even more. Her mother was a confusing person but she had never showed any urges to leave until this past weekend. Topanga kept trying to convince herself it was only temporary but it became more and more obvious as the days went by. That morning, she traveled to the diner and discovered that Katy had officially resigned on Sunday, January 17th. Katy definitely wasn't coming back anytime soon and while that worried Topanga on Maya's behalf she was trying to remain calm.

She just didn't know if she could be someone like Amy Matthews.

XxXxXxX

"You're not being fair to her!"

He was right, and Katy knew it. She was never the portrait of a perfect mother but at least she was always around, well, most of the time. She was selfish, she agreed to raise a kid the day she held Maya in that hospital and here she was, taking off and breaking that promise. But then again, Sam had left all those years ago and didn't seem to be affected by his absence in their life. He was happy and he had the life Katy wanted, that was why she needed the closure she deserved. If not for her, then at least for Maya.

"I'm not trying to hurt her." She sighed, burying her head in her hands. "I would never want to hurt her." She really wouldn't, but it certainly wasn't coming off like that.

"That's exactly what you're doing and whether or not you're trying to doesn't matter to her because she's up there living with her friend because her mom couldn't stick around." He reprimanded further, his tone firm and commanding.

"She still thinks it's me, y'know, the one that drove her father away. I'm not like him." She added. Shawn's earlier words replayed in the back of her mind like a record on repeat; "_You couldn't be more wrong."_

"Then show her you're not. Go back to her and stay this time, you can't do anything for her out here." He finally began to calm down, taking his seat again having risen to his feet in anger. Katy thought over his offer, but she couldn't, she just couldn't. Plus, there was no way she would be able to get her job back now. She was broke, unemployed and alone. Maya didn't need someone like her.

"I-I can't, Shawn. Just let me go!" She protested, getting to her feet and turning to leave. He reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her back.

"Please, just go back to her."

"I need to find someone else first." She argued, tugging on her arm. She didn't have time for this; she certainly didn't have the stomach for this. It was too intense.

"Who? Him?! He's nothing, Katy! Forget about him! He left you guys!" He shouted, finally reaching his breaking point. Katy finally broke free and pushed open the pub door.

"I need to find myself, Shawn."

And then she was gone.

XxXxXxX

**Sorry, it's a quick one this time! So, who do guys agree with, Katy or Shawn? And don't hate Katy too much, it's not intentional. Crazy mothers right? I have one myself and I swore she did this too many times over the course of my life. Hope I wrote Katy well enough and she's not **_**too **_**out of character. Well, don't forget to vote on my poll and leave a review below to let me know what kind of ship you want to see in the story! Love you all and have a great week.**


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